The stage is set for one of the most anticipated startup competitions in the world — Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, happening from October 27–29 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. With $100,000 in prize money and the prestigious Disrupt Cup at stake, 20 early-stage startups will go head-to-head before an elite panel of venture capitalists, all vying to prove their innovation and resilience in front of a global audience.

TechCrunch has officially announced the next wave of judges for the high-stakes event, bringing together some of the most respected minds in venture capital, technology, and business. These VCs will evaluate the finalists, offering sharp insights, challenging questions, and critical feedback to separate the promising from the truly exceptional.

The Judges Lineup

Allison Baum Gates — General Partner, SemperVirens Venture Capital
Allison Baum Gates brings a wealth of experience as General Partner at SemperVirens, a leading venture capital firm investing in healthcare, fintech, and enterprise SaaS. She has raised hundreds of millions across global markets and backed over 70 companies, including nine unicorns and 24 successful exits. A management lecturer at Stanford GSB and author of Breaking into Venture (McGraw-Hill, 2023), Gates’ upcoming book, Beyond the Pitch: The Psychology of Raising VC Funding, is expected to be another industry must-read.

Katelin Holloway — Founding Partner, 776
As a founding partner at Alexis Ohanian’s 776, Holloway merges two decades of operational experience from top firms like Pixar and Reddit with a passion for human-centric innovation. Her investments span health, sustainability, creativity, and frontier exploration — all aimed at expanding human potential. At 776, she is dedicated to empowering founders who are redefining industries while delivering strong, lasting impact.

Miloni Madan Presler — Partner, Institutional Venture Partners (IVP)
Driven by a belief in purpose-led innovation, Miloni Madan Presler seeks out startups solving real-world problems. At IVP, she focuses on companies that streamline fragmented ecosystems and automate outdated systems. Her approach blends intentionality and long-term vision — ensuring her investments create lasting, transformative change beyond short-term growth.

Sara Ittelson — Partner, Accel
Sara Ittelson joined Accel in 2022 and now plays a vital role in advancing early-stage ventures across consumer, enterprise, and AI sectors. Before her venture capital journey, she led strategic partnerships at Faire and global business development at Uber. With degrees from Northwestern University and Stanford, Ittelson combines business acumen with a strong sense of global perspective.

Rinki Sethi — Founding Partner, Lockstep
Rinki Sethi, currently the Chief Security Officer at Upwind Security, brings an extensive background in cybersecurity and corporate governance. As a founding partner at Lockstep, and former CISO at Twitter, BILL, and Rubrik, Sethi’s career includes leadership roles at IBM, eBay, and Palo Alto Networks. Her expertise in digital security adds a critical dimension to the judging panel.

The Countdown to Disrupt
With the final round of judges soon to be revealed, excitement continues to build. Startup Battlefield 200 has long been a launchpad for startups that later became global names — including Discord, Trello, and Mint.

This year’s event promises to raise the bar higher, giving founders a rare opportunity to showcase their vision before investors and innovators from around the world.

Early registration is still open, with discounts of up to $444 off individual passes and 30% off team bundles.

Don’t miss what’s been called the “World Series of startup pitch competitions.” Witness the next generation of tech disruptors live at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.

Source: Techcrunch